Big protest in Bangladesh against Islamic Constitution
Sambuddha Gupta | Dhaka
Dhaka
stirs with Big Protests. Thousands of protesters marched in capital
Dhaka on Thursday against Bangladesh parliament adopted an Islamic
constitution, steering away from a secular political culture, which was
enshrined in 1972 constitution.
A half a mile long rally organized by a
conglomerate of Hindu and other ethnic groups, left parties and
pro-secular groups, chanting anti-government slogans and waving red
flags marched towards the parliament, where the ruling party and her
alliance lawmakers hastily adopted several amendments to the
constitution on Thursday noon.
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Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh clearly
slammed the approval of the 15th constitutional amendment bill to
retain Islam as the state religion as it was against the secular
character of the constitution granted and accepted by the new bornBangladesh Republic in 1972. Quashing that National spirit of equality and secularism, Bangladesh’s Parliament approved the 15th Amendment Bill 2011 recently
that scraps the controversial nonpartisan caretaker system to conduct
general elections and also retains Islam as the state religion. The free
thinkers society and a small section in Muslim Community consiting
eminent scholars, writers, human rightists also raised their humble
voice in the cause of retention of the Secular Constitution
of Bangladesh as it was adopted in 1972.
………..
Rana Dasgupta, General Secretary of Hindu Boudhha Christian Oikya Parishad (HBCOP),
a key organisation of religious minorities in Bangladesh, said the
entire nation wanted the restoration of the spirit of secularism.”We are
deeply disappointed…this has violated our fundamental rights and that
is why we are rejecting the amendment,” Dasgupta told the news agency PTI.
The HBCOP claimed that it deprived the country’s nearly 2.5 crore
religious and ethnic minorities from their rights of Hinduism and other
religious beliefs. Amongst them, Hindus are the second largest religious
affiliation in Bangladesh. There are over 150 million Hindus in the
country, according to the 2001 census. Dasgupta said that the HBCOP,
headed by former army general CR Datta (Veer Uttam), has called a nationwide day-long hunger strike on Friday on 1st July.
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The organisation would also stage a black flag protest in front of the National Press Club in
the heart of the capital tomorrow. Dasgupta said.”We fear that the
development has pushed us to a situation where the followers of
different religious faiths will abstain from casting their votes in next
elections or wage a campaign demanding separate election in reserve
seats..” He said. “Bangladesh’s 1972 constitution contained four state
principles, including secularism that was scrapped under the government
of military ruler Ziaur Rahman. Former military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad declared Islam the state religion in 1988 by amending the constitution. Currently HM Ershad the chief of Jatiya Party which is aligned with the Awami League-led
ruling coalition Government in Bangladesh, is again playing his vital
role to retain his Islamic amendments in the present 15th amendment in constitution to abolish the basic principles of original constitution”.
The irritations and the agitations in BD minority groups has no impact perhaps in theCultural Citadel of Asia at Kolkata due to an inertia of Bengal Intellects absorbed
with pity secularism equates there not to speak anything about Islamic
nuisance and a great PM of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hassina. However, Basudev Dhar, Dhaka correspondent of Dainik Statesman,
a flourishing Bengali Daily published from Kolkata regularly reports
the persecutions upon the BD minorities and Hindus by the majority
Muslims as a most regular feature there.
……………….
The onslaught upon the BD Hindus and
other minorities are so reckoning, this may be presented in a form of
social appeal and deputation to the all Indian High Commissionand embassies including the United Nation forums,
so the rights of minorities in Bangladesh cannot be tampered any more.
The status of BD minorities are now clearly in a level of existential
threat facing a process of ethnic cleansing now so promoted through the
softness of constitution amendments with a ensuing hard dome of
complete Talibalization of Bangladesh.
…………………..
And there is a very little difference between Ziaur Rahman, Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hassina in the question to accept Islam as a State religion of Bangladesh. They are all pro Islamic and
the majority of Muslim people can never be a liberal society to accept
the practices of others in open mind in its habit, homes and state
politics. Bangladesh is telling this truth once again.
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